Twin Hills Little League: Weather / Health

!!ATTENTION**ATTENTION**ATTENTION!!

PLEASE NOTE PARENTS AND MANAGER and/or COACHES

IF YOU FEEL YOUR CHILD and/or PLAYER MAY BE SICK AND NOT SURE...PLEASE ""PLAY"" IT SAFE AND KEEP PLAYERS AWAY FROM OTHERS AND ADVICE TO GO HOME AND SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION .....even if you think it may be a minor case of a COLD and/or FLU...ALWAY THINK BETTER SAFE THEN SORRY!!!!!

Information for People Living in San Diego County from the Centers for Disease Control

What is novel H1N1 (swine flu)?

Novel H1N1 (referred to as “swine flu” early on) is a new influenza virus causing illness in people. This new virus was first detected in people in the United States in April 2009. This virus is spreading from person-to-person worldwide, probably in much the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread.
On June 11, 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) signaled that a pandemic of novel H1N1 flu was underway.

Why is novel H1N1 virus sometimes called “swine flu”?

This virus was originally referred to as “swine flu” because laboratory testing showed that many of the genes in this new virus were very similar to influenza viruses that normally occur in pigs (swine) in North America. But further study has shown that this new virus is very different from what normally circulates in North American pigs. It has two genes from flu viruses that normally circulate in pigs in Europe and Asia and bird (avian) genes and human genes. Scientists call this a "quadruple reassortant" virus.

Are there human infections with novel H1N1 virus in the U.S.?
Yes.

Human infections with the new H1N1 virus are ongoing in the United States. Most people who have become ill with this new virus have recovered without requiring medical treatment.

Is novel H1N1 virus contagious?

CDC has determined that novel H1N1 virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human.
How does novel H1N1 virus spread?
Spread of novel H1N1 virus is thought to occur in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing by people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something – such as a surface or object – with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

Why Am I Dehydrated?

Many times kids get dehydrated when they are playing hard and having fun. Have you ever gotten really sweaty and red-faced when you've been playing? This often happens when it's hot outside, but it can happen indoors, too, like if you're practicing basketball in a gym. Kids also can get dehydrated when they're sick. If you have a stomach virus (say: vye-rus), you might throw up or have diarrhea (say: dye-uh-ree-uh). On top of that, you probably don't feel very much like eating or drinking. If you have a sore throat, you might find it hard to swallow food or drink. And if you have a fever, you can lose fluids because water evaporates from your skin in an attempt to cool your body down. That's why your mom or dad tells you to drink a lot of fluids when you're sick.

Signs of Dehydration

In addition to being thirsty, here are some signs that a person might be dehydrated:

feeling lightheaded, dizzy, or tired

rapid heartbeat

dry lips and mouth

Another sign of dehydration is not peeing as much. Normally, urine should be a pale yellow color. Dark or strong-smelling pee can be a sign of dehydration.

Sports Drinks Versus Water

Sports Drinks

Water

Maintain thirst, so kids keep drinking until fully hydrated

Eliminates thirst, so kids stop drinking before they are fully re-hydrated

Drinking fluids prior to exercise appears to reduce or delay the detrimental effects of dehydration.

1 to 2 hours before sports: 4 to 8 ounces of cold water

10 to 15 minutes before sports: 4 to 8 ounces of cold water

Before Sports

Drinking fluids prior to exercise appears to reduce or delay the detrimental effects of dehydration.

1 to 2 hours before sports: 8 to 16 ounces of cold water

10 to 15 minutes before sports: 8 to 12 ounces of cold water

During Sports

Every 20 minutes: 5 to 9 ounces of a sports drink, depending on weight (5 for a child weighing 88 pounds, 9 ounces for a child weighing 132 pounds)

During Sports

Every 20 minutes: Between 5 and 10 ounces of a sports drink, depending on weight

After Sports

Post-exercise hydration should aim to correct any fluid lost during the practice.

Within two hours: at least 24 ounces of a sports drink for every pound of weight lost

After Sports

Post-exercise hydration should aim to correct any fluid lost during the practice.

Within two hours: at least 24 ounces of a sports drink for every pound of weight lost

Sports Drinks Replace Electrolytes

Electrolytes are chemicals in the body fluids that result from the breakdown of salts,

including sodium, potassium, magnesium, and chloride, which the body needs to maintain proper amounts of water inside cells, nerve conductivity, and allow for proper response by the cells to outside stimuli.

Kids are more susceptible to heat illnesses than adults when active in hot weather because they:

Sweat at a lower rate (both in absolute terms and per sweat gland)

Tolerate temperature extremes less efficiently

Get hotter during exercise

Have more skin surface for their body weight (that results in excessive heat gain in extreme heat and heat loss in extreme cold)

Have hearts that pump less blood; and

Adjust more slowly to exercising in the heat (a child may require five or six sessions to achieve the same degree of acclimatization acquired by an adult in two or three sessions in the same environment).

Whether it's training for a baseball game or playing a backyard game of catch, children's athletic performance, development, and growth depend largely on eating the right foods. Unfortunately, most children (and adults) forget just how important nutrition is to good health and athletic performance. Many children, especially in the years before puberty, have poor eating habits (skipping breakfast, eating the same foods day after day). As a result, their diets are missing nutrients and their growth and athletic performance may be impaired.

It is important to recognize that children are not miniature adults; they have special nutritional needs. It is especially important to meet their nutritional needs as they enter puberty, when they experience rapid growth as they undergo hormonal changes marking the beginning of adolescence.

Nutrition Guidelines

The most appropriate diet for the youth athlete is one that:

Is high in nutrient-dense complex carbohydrates

Contains moderate amounts of protein, salt, sugars, and sodium

Is low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol; and

Provides sufficient calories

Such a diet can be achieved by planning intake to include a variety of foods from each of the five major food groups in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Guide Pyramid. Especially for children, the pyramid serves as a visual guide for choosing foods and planning healthful meals.

As parent, you should promote the three basic principles that are key to a high-performance diet:

Variety. Because no single food or supplement contains all the nutrients your child needs for optimum health, growth and performance, eating foods from each of the five food groups daily, as well as different foods from within each group, is essential.

Moderation. Your child should not eat too little or too much of any one food or nutrient.

Balance. Calorie intake and energy expenditure should be balanced to maintain a healthy weight and body composition. Balance ordinarily results from practicing moderation and variety, and requires that your child consume appropriate amounts of essential nutrients.

* Combined index of heat and humidity. In other words, what it feels like to the body

This heat index chart is designed to provide general guidelines for assessing the potential severity of heat stress. Individual reactions to heat will vary. In addition, studies indicate that the susceptibility to heat disorders tends to increase with age. Exposure to full sunshine can increase Heat Index values by up to 15° F.